Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-08
DROUTH and REMEDY.
A Paper Read Before the Texas Geo.
logical and Scientific Association at
Houston, May 81, 1887.
Mr. c. LOmbard's Remedy for the Evil
of Irregular Rainfall in the
Lone Star State
"Rain Enough On an Average Even IN the
Alleged Dry Region, but Not
Regularly Distributed"
Houston Post.


Texas will not have proved an entirely
unm1tigated evil, if through its expert
ence the country will have learned
to provide in measure against
the effect Of similar occurrences
in future. The lesson is plain
enough. Since nature has been con
victed again and again Of objectionable
fckIeness in dispensing her showery ia.
vors on this broad land of ours, it be-
hooves our people to take hand ct the
business of regulating our water supply,
and make Il, where poSs BILE, more steady
and reliable. This has been done in other
countries and can be done in this. The
average supply of water for given
period Of years in Texas Il, if
distributed with more regularity,
more than ample for all purposes
of agriculture and other necessf-
ties. In this respect Texas fares much
better than many countries apparently
more favored by nature, and more gener-
Gus in sctuRl productions. We have rain
enough on an average, even on the So
called dry region, but the trouble is that
the rain don't always come when wanted,
and when excessive does not remain in
the soil or near at hand long enough to
compensate for occasional spells of
drouth. Now the remedy TO this trouble
lies in devising some method or methods
by which the excess of rainfall at one
time can be utilized at other times. The
whole problem lies in this; but it must be
confessed that it covers wider scope end
suggests larger difficulties than are ap
parent at first sight. In other words, it
is much easier to state the problem than
TO solve it. After a rainy day
WHAT BECOMES or THE WATER.
Some of it perlocates through the
ground, some runs of almost immedi-
ately TO the nesrest stream and travels as
fast as 1t can 10 the original reservoir,
the ocean, while larger quantity pre-
haps is taken back into the clouds in the
form Of evaporation. That which pre-
locates through the ground remain there
for g longer or shorter period, according
TO the nature of the soil and the degree
of It's cultivation, but eventually passes
Of, partly through the surface aUove by
evaporation and partly by percolation be-
low the feed springs, wells and under
ground reservoirs, Of which we shall
speak by and by. Only q comparative
!nfnilesimal portion is absorbed by the
roots Of plants, to the growth of which
we are principally concerned. YET
this little is So very important
that upon tie presence or ab-
sence Of i. ct the required time hang the
prosperity and happiness OF the pOpulG-
ton. Now, If we could only preserve
some OF this waste water and bring it
back to feed the rOotlets Of our crops and
grasses, when and where it is most
needed; if we could only utilize some of
the river water, some of the spring water
and some of the water that is under
ground ard which can be brought to the
surface by artificial means, to feed the
perishing crops and revive the parChed
range, then the dreaded drouth would
lose its sting and no country in the wide
world would compare with this in fertll-
ity and consequent prosperity. What is
wanted then is to direct the attention of
our husbandmen, agriCulturistS and
stockmen to various sources of water
supply that still exist when the skies
seem TO deny their b0urties, to husband
carefully these untbought of resources
and put them to their most precious use
by means OF
IRRIGATION.
II one of our Texas farmers, Cultivat-
ING say 100 acres in cotton, on which ne
is now making say an average Of OILY
half crop four years out OF five, with d
full crop the fifth year (Which believe
has been about the average experience of
Texas farmers these several years pqSt). |
If this man were told that there is q way
by which his farm could be made to pro-
duce st least four full crops every five |
years, leaving one year in five only to go |
TO the bad for some cause or other be- |
yond human control, wouldn't this man |
ask eagerly for the precious secret, and
would he rest till he found it? Let Us !
figure q little what difference it would |
make in his circumstances in five years
only, to say nothing OF the result of
lifetime.
Before finding the remedy: One hundred |
acres, capable of yielding in good season |
say IS bales of cotton. First year, good |
season, IS bales; next four years, bad
and medium seasons, half crop of say 37t |
bales per year-in all 15O bales. Total,
235 bales ST $40 per bale, $500.
After finding the remedy: -Four years.
full crop at IS bales per year, 500 bales;
One year, say half crop, SD bales. Total,
337I bales at $40 per bale, Sl3, 800, MAX
ing d difference of $4,000 in five years;
S9260 in ten years; SIS,400 N twenty |
years; or, in fact, all the difference be-
tween struggling poverty and abundance,
If not wealth. The case is even worse
than this, the contrast more striking, but !
have drawn it mildly on purpose, to
avoid the charge of exaggerRtion. Don't
YOU think that this farmer would be glad |
to search sitter q remedy that promises |
such abundant results, and would be pre-
pared to go to good deal of trouble, and
even temporary sacrifice and expense, in
order to reap such rich reward? Yet
1 firmly believe thst this result is |
clearly within the reach of perhaps the
majority of our farming popula-
ton through the practice Of irrigation,
and that in the near future. Let US now |
apply the same reasoning TO the entire
cotton production of the state. About |
the beginning OF last July it was cur
rently reported that the Texas crop |
was in very promising condition, !
and the average estimate of the crop |
was put at 1000, 900 bales at least. l be-
lieve thst if no mishap had occurred sub
seouently il would have exceeded that;
but let US put it at 10000 900. But few
weeks of very hot snd dry weather in July
and August sufiiced to blast the most of
these fine nroSDeCtS and the actual crop of